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Kinesiology Taping for Rehabilitation & Sports Performance
Posts Tagged ‘pre-cut kinesiology tape’
Kinesio by any other name … A Kinesiology Taping Glossary
posted by Tape Expert
Running a website that sells kinesiology tape and writing a kinesiology taping blog keeps me up to date on taping terminology. With all of the brand names, generic terms and even mis- spellings, it can be difficult to keep all of today’s “kinesio” terms straight. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned kinesiology taping professional, you should find the following kinesio glossary useful.
Kinesiology Tape
Kinesiology Tape is a generic term for a thin, stretchy therapeutic tape that comes in assorted sizes, colors and configurations. Best known as an athletic tape or sports injury tape, it is also widely used in medical and rehabilitation settings such as physical therapy clinics, chiropractic practices and hospitals.
Kinesiology Tape Brands
There are currently 4 major manufacturers offering quality kinesiology taping products both domestically and internationally. They are Kinesio® Tape , KT Tape™, RockTape and SpiderTech™ Tape.
Kinesiology Tape Rolls
Rolls of kinesiology tape come in assorted lengths and widths. The most common size is the 2″ x 16′ single roll, which all of the major kinesiology tape brands offer. Several manufacturers also offer bulk rolls rolls that are 2″ wide and 105′ (Kinesio Tape, RockTape) or 125′ long (KT Tape).RockTape also offers 4″ wide rolls in both single and bulk roll sizes.
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Precut Kinesiology Tape Strips
KT Tape offers rolls of tear-off, precut strips in 5″, 10″ and 18″ strip lengths. The 5″ and 10″ strips are perforated longitudinally, allowing them to be applied in either “I” or a “Y” formations – the two most common application techniques. Precut strips eliminate most of the cutting that is required to apply kinesiology tape from rolls.
More recently, SpiderTech introduced SpiderTech PowerStrips, precut X, Y and I strips in convenient accordion-packs. The X and Y strips are 2″ wide by 8″ long, and the I strips are 1″ wide by 6″ long.
.Precut Kinesiology Tape Applications
SpiderTech is the only brand that offers individually packaged applications, already precut for different parts of the body. The step by step instructions included in each package allow even those with no kinesiology taping experience to apply the 16 different “Spiders.”
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Kinesio® Tape
Although Kinesio® Tape and Kinesio Tex® Tape are both trademarked brand names, these terms have become to kinesiology taping what Xerox is to photocopying. Many people now use the term Kinesio Tape to refer to kinesiology tape in general, which isn’t a bad thing at all for Kinesio® sales! Common misspellings I have seen in search terms include kinesiotape, kinisiotape, and so on.
Where to Buy Kinesiology Tape
Each of the manufacturers and many medical supply companies now sell kinesiology tape. Many sites, however, sell only to licensed health professionals. Theratape.com is the only website specializing in kinesiology tape and carrying a complete line of products from all 4 major brands. Theratape also provides a comprehensive Education Center with detailed information on each of the brands, plus instructional videos and printable application instructions. No registration is required to purchase from Theratape, and all educational resources are available free of charge.
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April 27, 2010
“Bright-colored strips of tape in odd patterns are increasingly being seen on professional and recreational athletes. Kinesiology tape can help take pressure off overused muscles, reduce swelling and alleviate pain from injuries, say companies that sell it. Scientific evidence is mixed, but clinicians say it seems to work—at least in the short term. “
So begins a detailed article on kinesiology tape in today’s Wall Street Journal. Overwhelmingly positive overall, “Putting on the Stripes to Ease Pain” discusses how kinesiology tape has rapidly established itself in North America and introduces the companies that have taken it to a new level.
The three major manufacturers are profiled, including Kinesio Tex Tape, SpiderTech Tape and RockTape. Each has established itself by virtue of a specific market niche – Kinesio Tex Tape as a clinical product, Spider Tech as the leader in precut kinesiology tape for different body parts, and Rock Tape as a premium performance-enhancing tape for athletes.
As kinesiology taping applications are being seen on more athletes in more sports, the demand for the products at the consumer level is exploding. Many online retailers sell only to health professionals, but all three brands are available to the general public on a specialty kinesiology tape website, www.theratape.com.
If the validity of kinesiology taping was ever in doubt, this profile in the Wall Street Journal has given it the official “big business” stamp of approval.
Click Here to read the entire article.
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My last post introduced an exciting new product to the kinesiology taping industry–the first kinesiology tape for individuals with sensitive skin. Made by the makers of industry-leading SpiderTech Tape, the new product line is called SpiderTech Gentle. This post will examine the issue of skin irritation with kinesiology tape and discuss the features of Spider Tech Gentle tape that minimize this problem.
What Causes Skin Irritation with Kinesiology Tape?
All of the leading kinesio tape brands utilize a hypoallergenic acrylic adhesive that is applied to the back of the tape in a wave or tread pattern. The effect is that of ‘ridges’ of adhesive that adhere to the skin, with small troughs in between to channel away moisture. As the body moves, the ridges of adhesive pull lightly on the skin’s surface, setting up a sensory neurofeedback loop that is responsible for the dramatic pain relief benefits associated with kinesio taping.
While the vast majority of kinesiology tape users never experience skin reactions, this pulling action may be enough to generate redness or itching in individuals with very sensitive or fragile skin. (For a more detailed discussion of this issue, see my post, Kinesiology Tape – Avoiding Skin Irritation.) Other individuals with fragile skin may do fine while the tape is on, but experience problems from damage to skin cells when the tape is removed.
What Makes SpiderTech Gentle Different?
SpiderTech’s patented Stratagel™ adhesive is a moist, gel-like substance that can adhere uniformly across the skin’s surface. This smooth, adhesive layer lacks the ridges that can cause skin irritation.
Less Skin Damage when Spider Tech Gentle is Removed
The ridges of solid acrylic adhesive material on conventional kinesiology tape adhere strongly to the top surface of the skin. Individuals with sensitive or fragile skin, such as the elderly, infants and children, may experience damage or removal of skin cells when the tape is removed.
The moist, gel-like surface of the StrataGel adhesive adheres smoothly to the skin’s surface, but is able to separate from the skin more easily when the tape is removed, greatly reducing the incidence of skin cell removal, skin cell damage, redness and irritation. It can be comfortably worn for up to 3 days, followed by immediate reapplication if desired.
SpiderTech Gentle kinesiology tape for sensitive skin is available in both rolls and precut kinesiology taping applications.
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The SpiderTech Tape company has created a comprehensive line of precut kinesiology tape applications for different parts of the body. Each application comes individually packaged with illustrated step-by-step instructions. These therapeutic tape products provide a convenient and inexpensive way for non-health professionals to apply kinesiology tape effectively. This is the second in a series of blogs describing the different SpiderTech applications, their uses and how to apply them.
SpiderTech Hamstring Spider Benefits
♦ Relieves pain and swelling from hamstring injuries
♦ Speeds recovery after intense exercise
♦ Provides protection as hamstring injuries heal
♦ Improves strength of injured hamstring muscles
♦ Provides support without restricting range of motion
♦ Prevents or relieves cramps, spasms or stiffness
♦ Assists with hamstring/quadriceps imbalance
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Application Instructions for Pre-Cut Hamstring Kinesiology Tape
Begin by tearing all of the perforations on the backing of the tape. Clean the skin with soap and water or rubbing alcohol before applying tape.
1. Subject should be lying on stomach with leg relaxed. Remove half of the backing from section 1 and apply to the rear thigh, directly below the gluteal fold. Repeat with the other half of section 1. Gently rub the tape to activate the adhesive.
2. Place the hamstring muscles in a stretched position by having subject lie on side with leg straight and stretched forward. Begin peeling the backing from section 2 and apply directly over the hamstring muscles. It is not necessary to stretch the tape as it is applied.
3. With the hamstring muscles still stretched, remove the paper backing from the outer arm of section 2 and apply the tape directly over the center of the injured groin area. Rub each section of tape immediately after applying to activate the glue.
4. Remove the backing from the final arm of section 2 and apply it along the lower boundary of the groin muscles with no additional stretch in the tape. Patient can now relax the leg and move freely. Avoid exercise or bathing for one hour after applying the precut kinesio tape to allow the adhesive to fully set.
How to Apply Kinesiology Tape.
My next post will include the application video for the SpiderTech Groin SpiderTape.
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My last post outlined the benefits of the SpiderTech Groin Spider – a precut kinesiology tape application engineered for injuries to the adductor muscles in the groin area. The step-by-step application instructions were described. This post provides the SpiderTech Tape Groin Spider application instructions in both printable and video formats, showing exactly how the tape should be applied for best results.
Printable PDF Document
Application Instructions for the SpiderTech Tape Precut Groin Spider♦
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Video – How to Apply SpiderTech Groin Kinesiology Tape
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The SpiderTech Tape company has created a comprehensive line of precut kinesiology tape applications for different parts of the body. Each application comes individually packaged with illustrated step-by-step instructions. These products provide a convenient and inexpensive way for non-health professionals to apply kinesiology tape effectively. This is the first in a series of blogs describing the different SpiderTech applications, their uses and how to apply them.
SpiderTech Groin Spider Benefits
♦ Relieves pain and swelling from groin pulls or tears
♦ Speeds recovery in overused muscles
♦ Provides protection as groin injuries heal
♦ Improves strength of injured groin muscles
♦ Provides support without restricting range of motion
♦ Prevents or relieves cramps, spasms or stiffness
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Application Instructions for Pre-Cut Groin Kinesiology Tape
Begin by tearing all of the perforations on the backing of the tape. Clean the skin with soap and water or rubbing alcohol before applying tape.
1. Subject should be lying on back with leg relaxed. Remove half of the backing from section 1 and apply as high as possible over the groin area. Repeat with the other half of section 1. Gently rub the tape to activate the adhesive.
2. Place the groin muscles in a stretched position by abducting the leg. Remove the backing from the top arm of section 2 and apply along the upper boundary of the groin (adductor) muscles. It is not necessary to stretch the tape as it is applied.
3. With the groin muscles still stretched, remove the paper backing from the middle arm of section 2 and apply the tape directly over the center of the injured groin area. Rub each section of tape immediately after applying to activate the glue.
4. Remove the backing from the final arm of section 2 and apply it along the lower boundary of the groin muscles with no additional stretch in the tape. Patient can now relax the leg and move freely. Avoid exercise or bathing for one hour after applying the precut kinesio tape to allow the adhesive to fully set.
How to Apply Kinesiology Tape.
My next post will include the application video for the SpiderTech Groin SpiderTape.
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The Gold Medal run of the Night Train with Steve Holcomb’s World Champion USA1 4-man bobsled team may have had some friendly “spiders” along for the ride. Shortly before the Vancouver Olympics, the US Bobsled and Skeleton Federation finalized a two-year sponsorship with SpiderTech, global leader in precut kinesiology tape technology.
SpiderTech products were used before and during the 2010 Winter Olympics, and will continue to provide therapeutic support to elite American bobsledders and skeleton athletes in future competitions. USBSF CEO, Darrin Steele, commented that SpiderTech products will “create a competitive advantage, both on the field and in recuperation.”
Kinesiology tape is now used by athletes of all ages and levels because of its amazing ability to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation and accelerate healing. Most important to competitive athletes is the fact that this is accomplished without restricting range of motion. This allows athletes to continue to train and compete normally as they recover from many injuries, without worrying about developing secondary injuries from compensatory movement patterns related to restrictive taping.
Precut kinesiology tape, made by SpiderTech, is a perfect choice for those who want the benefits of kinesiology taping, but have no training in cutting and applying tape from rolls. Each SpiderTech application is pre-cut for a specific body part. The back of each application is labeled and numbered, making it easy to follow the step-by-step instructions included in every package. Currently, there are 16 different applications available for virtually every part of the body. Individual packages are convenient to carry and apply. No scissors or cutting are required – just open the package and put it on.
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In 2009, kinesiology tape leaped from the offices of a few forward thinking chiropractors and athletic trainers into the sports bags and first aid kits of people across the nation. Once the domain of trained clinicians, kinesiology taping is now being done in schools, homes and on the sidelines of virtually every level of every sport in existence.
This has created a new need for kinesiology taping education. Most individuals aren’t willing to spend the hundreds of dollars and several weekends it takes to become officially certified in kinesiology taping techniques. On the other hand, without at least a basic knowledge of the principles of kinesiology taping, it is difficult to apply the tape effectively. There are several ways to learn how to apply kinesiology tape – instruction manuals, instructional DVDs, and online videos. This is the first in a series of posts that will provide an overview of the various manuals and DVDs that are available.
We’ll start with pre-cut kinesiology tape, since it is the simplest to apply and requires the least amount of medical knowledge and taping expertise. Currently, SpiderTech Tape is the only supplier of kinesiology taping applications that are already pre-cut for different parts of the body. While using precut applications significantly reduces the skill needed to apply the tape, there is still a learning curve to becoming proficient.
SpiderTech Product Application Instruction Guide
This manual contains step-by-step instructions for all 16 SpiderTech PreCut Kinesiology Tape applications. Each set of instructions includes photographs showing proper body positioning and product placement. The instructions are written in simple terms, requiring no technical background to understand. Also included is a brief explanation of the physiological mechanisms behind the SpiderTech products, as well as the 12 Principles for Application. Applications covered include Ankle, Calf and Arch, Elbow, Full Knee, Groin, Hamstring, Hip, Lower Back, Lymphatic (Small, Medium and Large), Neck, Shoulder, Upper Back/Postural, Upper Knee and Wrist.
Softcover, 8’12” x 11″, 28 pages, $12.99.
SpiderTech Application Videos
SpiderTech has produced an excellent series of short videos in which Dr. Kevin Jardine, the creator of SpiderTech Tape, demonstrates how to apply each of the 16 different SpiderTech Pre-Cut Kinesiology Tape applications. As he applies the tape, he explains exactly where to place it and how to apply each segment. There is also a general Application Tips video, in which Dr. Jardine discusses tips for properly applying kinesiology tape, including skin preparation, tape and water, setting the adhesive, and basic application techniques.
Watch these videos at www.theratape.com.
Watch these videos on YouTube.
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The benefits of kinesiology taping are directly related to how well the tape is applied. There are several factors that contribute to a good kinesiology tape application:
- Proper skin preparation.
- An appropriate taping configuration for the injury.
- Applying the tape with the appropriate amount of stretch.
- Holding the muscle in the appropriate position when the tape is applied.
- Applying the tape in the optimum position in relation to the injured structures.
There are several excellent instruction manuals available that provide detailed instructions for a wide variety of tapings. Most of them, however, require at least a moderate understanding of medical terminology, and anatomy to understand what they say. So, where does that leave the average consumer who wants to work with kinesiology tape, but doesn’t have the background to understand most of the instructions?
The first thing I would recommend is to start with pre-cut kinesiology tape, rather than tape from rolls. A relatively new company called SpiderTech makes 16 different precut configurations for various parts of the body. This alone eliminates the need to design applications and cut the tape into different types of strips. Every precut kinesiology tape product comes with illustrated step-by-step instructions for applying it. This alone cuts the learning curve by a huge amount over learning to apply tape from rolls.
But, the best thing about the SpiderTech products is that each one of them also has an accompanying video of a medical professional applying the tape, and verbally describing each step of the process. And, better yet, forget the astronomical cost of purchasing manuals and dvd’s – these videos are available online, for free!
Recently, I took an additional step to make it easier for my readers to access these videos. I have established a YouTube channel under the same name as I write this blog under, “TapeExpert” (for YouTube it’s all one word). Click on the YouTube icon on the left to go directly to the TapeExpert channel. There, you will be able to access the entire series of SpiderTech instructional videos in one convenient location. If you click the “Subscribe” button for the TapeExpert channel, you will receive notification any time I add a new video.
They say that a picture’s worth a thousand words. With the advent of online video, that should be upgraded to “a video’s worth a thousand pictures!”
Happy watching!
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Kinesiology Taping 101
posted by Tape Expert
Wondering what that funky-looking, colored tape is that so many athletes are wearing these days? It’s called kinesiology tape, and it has become an overnight sensation among injured athletes, people with chronic inflammatory conditions, accident victims and individuals recovering from surgery.
The surprising ability of this lightweight, thin, stretchy therapeutic tape to quickly relieve pain and reduce inflammation makes it effective for a wide range of conditions. Although best known as an athletic tape or sports tape, its uses extend well beyond the realm of athletics. Following is a partial list of conditions known to respond favorably to kinesiology taping.
Joint Pain – Arthritis, Bursitis, Lupus, Degenerative Joints, Poorly Aligned Joints, Joint Instability
Muscle Pain or Spasms – Torn Muscles, Pulled/Strained Muscles, Tight Muscles, Fibromyalgia, Muscle Spasms, Muscle Cramps, Calf Strain, Pulled Hamstring, Groin Pulls, Strained Gluteals, Abdominal Strain,
Soft Tissue Injuries – Tendonitis, Strained Tendons, Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis), Golfers Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis), Patellar Tendonitis, Achilles Tendonitis, Whiplash, Back Strain, Neck Strain, Rotator Cuff Injuries, Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Joint Injuries – Joint Sprains, Dislocated Joints, Sprained Ankle, Sprained Knee, Sprained Wrist, Sprained Elbow, Degenerated Meniscus, Knee Cartilage Injuries, Unstable Joints, Joint Hypermobility
Overuse Injuries – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Repetitive Stress Syndrome, Shin Splints, Iliotibial Band Syndrome, Tension Headaches, Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow
Swelling and Edema – Lymphodema, Joint Swelling, Edema, Lymphatic Congestion, Chronic Joint or Muscle Inflammation
Postural Problems – Poor Posture, Round Shoulders, Weak Muscles, Muscle Imbalance, Poor Muscle Tone, Hypotonia
Rehabilitation after Surgery – Athletic Injury Surgery, Reconstructive Surgery, Joint Replacement, Meniscus Repair, Ligament Surgery, Tendon Surgery
Bruising – Bruising following Injuries or Surgery, Contusions
Foot Pain – Plantar Fascitis, Fallen Arches
Following are some important things to know about kinesiology tape:
1. Kinesiology tape can be bought in rolls or pre-cut applications for specific body parts. Home users with no kinesiology taping training should begin with precut kinesiology tape.
2. When properly applied, one application of kinesiology tape can be worn for up to 5 days. It will remain firmly in place through showering, swimming and even heavy sweating.
3. The therapeutic benefits of kinesiology tape continue around the clock for the entire time it’s worn. Thus, a single kinesiology taping application can be compared to receiving continuous therapy 24/7 for up to 5 days.
4. Kinesiology tape is made from high grade cotton with a hypo-allergenic acrylic adhesive. It contains no latex and no medication. Very few people experience skin reactions to kinesiology tape.
5. Kinesiology taping is safe and effective for people of all ages, from infants to the elderly.
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